GUWAHATI: Nagaland chief minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu on Friday unveiled a monolith in Kohima dedicated to the 100th anniversary of joining of the Naga Labour Corps in the World War I as part of British force in France and North African battle fronts. It was about 2000 of these Naga men, who on return to Nagaland, formed a socio-political association called "Naga Club' in 1918 that later laid the foundation of the movement for self-determination by the Nagas, which continues till date.When the Simon Commission came to Kohima in January, 1929, the Naga club submitted a memorandum to it stating that they should be left alone to decide and shape their own future, thus laying the seeds of this long struggle for self-determination.Liezietsu in his speech while unveiling the monolith said, "The Naga Labour Corps created history for our present and for our better future. Let us never forget them for generations to come." He even penned the acknowledgement of the role of those brave men that has been engraved in the monolith and it states, "Forever grateful to the Naga Labour Corps for the foundation they laid for the everlasting friendship and unity of the Nagas". The chief minister's office stated that On April 21, 1917 the first batch of the Naga Labour Corps set sail for Europe to take part in the war."One can hardly imagine the feelings that the Naga Labour Corps must have felt, leaving their homeland for the first time and crossing oceans to distant lands fighting for the then Crown. Certainly it was not India's war and it was definitely not the Nagas' War but the Naga Labour Corps participation and the bravery they exhibited during their battles in Europe and elsewhere would have ramifications much beyond the intended," the CM said in his speech.According to some written documents quoted in various books the Naga Labour Corps arrived in France in two main groups (688 men on 21 June 1917 and 992 men on 2 July 1917).The Naga Labour Corps were formed in the Naga Hills under the command of Deputy Commissioner, Herbert Charles Barnes . To avoid confusion with other Indian Labour Corps units serving in Mesopotamia at that time, these companies were renumbered as the 35 th , 36 th , 37 th and 38 th (Naga) Labour Companies. The men of the Naga Labour Corps worked in various places around France on salvage work, road repairs among others."Men who returned from France formed a socio-political association called the Naga Club with branches in Kohima and Mokokchung immediately after their return in 1918. This was the association that later in 1929 submitted a representation to the Simon Commission and conveyed to them the right of choice of self-determination of the Nagas when the British left Indian," the CM said. Liezietsu said that the state government has decided to build a memorial in honour of the Naga Labour Corps in Kohima and a memorial park around this hilltop to appropriately mark the 100th anniversary.

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